Baby
by Wicked R
Summary: Angel never left Sunnydale. The rest kinda figures. Angel gets cured. Xander actually cares!


Foreword

When I first found the story leading up to me writing this, I couldn't finish reading it, despite all the yummy angstyness that is in it. The ideas were just one step too strange.Surfing on the net several month later I bumped into it again, and this time I read it through, only to find out at the end, that there wasn't an end. The story was never finished, I checked again month later. I tried to contact the author, nothing.I waited several month again, and since their still wasn't any continuation, I took the initiative and finished it myself. It was so much angsty potential in it that it kept buggering my mind. Besides, I couldn't leave Angel in pain for eternity, now could I?  
And sorry to the author, it was probably intended to be a very funny thing; I turned it into angsty instead. But that's me, now, isn't it?

As it isn't possible to post a link here, I'll just have to tell you briefly what happened in the first two parts of the story. Basically, Angel gets infected with a parasite.

Title: Baby 3/3  
Author: Wicked R (for this part only)  
Disclaimers: most characters belong to Mutant Enemy. The idea belongs to Blackwinged Angel.  
Genre: Angst/Romance  
Rating: PG for the wacko ideas  
Set: Angel never left Sunnydale. The rest kinda figures.  
Summary: Angel gets cured. Xander actually cares!  
Pairing: A/B.  
Warning: not beta read. English is not my first language, so be kind.It was 4 o'clock in the morning when Buffy called Giles. That was the time till she managed to put up with the mounting pain that engulfed her lover. They might have had enough time to remove the parasite before it could eat Angel up, but she wasn't going to just watch Angel lying there muttering about the anguish. He was getting very weak, his eyes woolly. He was swallowing convulsively, as if he might throw up. And it was all her fault. It was her responsibility to patrol, not Angel's. He just took it on, as he mostly did in the last few of years while she was off at college, studying, enjoying herself, and having a holiday. Pursuing her dreams. As if she wasn't the Slayer anymore. Angel gave her that possibility. After a while she took it for granted. She had taken so many things so horribly granted nowadays, having a partner, his love, her time to explore herself. And now they paid the price."He is going to be all right," hearing the apprehension in her voice, Giles agreed to call the demon doctor again and in fifteen minutes he was at their house to pick them up as the doctor agreed to take another look. They needed both their strength to carry Angel, as he could hardly stand by now.This time, it didn't take any persuasion to get Angel up the table, his pain was too severe to notice the coldness of it, or he was too tired to protest. Either way, it just perpetuated Buffy's worries. The doctor probed the vampire's stomach a bit, but it was too rigid and painful for the doctor to be able to continue with the tactile examination.He/it took an ultrasound again and after a long pause he started to give his verdict, "well, the embryo isn't doing well, I must say. We won't be able to study it growing much. But I must say, vampire biology is a truly amazing mechanism! Regeneration…""Yes, well, doctor, what does that mean?" intercepted Giles."Why is he feeling worse if he is regenerating?" asked Buffy."He rejected the foreign body and the tissues inside are healing and pushing the embryo towards the outside skin. In the meantime other tissue gets torn. Now we have two options, we either let it take its own course, well; I'd say that would be torture. Or we can help it along and take it out. What do you think?""Do it now," pleaded Angel."Let me prepare the instruments…and I need the help of one of you…""I'll wait outside," offered Giles, not wishing to see more blood than it was necessary. Besides, Buffy would not leave Angel anyway."Miss Buffy, I'll walk you through what I do as I'm working on him. I will have to use local anaesthetics since circulation and breathing are non-functional. I need you to restrain him, whatever happens. Any Slayer cuffs?"  
  
"Sure.""Use them. And anything else you can think of."What she could think of is holding his hand and stoking his forehead. Their eyes locked and she could see a certain panic in his eyes. Not exactly terror, but alarm nevertheless.

He feared agony. It was different when it just happened, than when you knew it's going to happen. He was unprepared for the incision, and was knocked out. Quite lucky, since he didn't have to consciously experience some of the rest that followed. Still, he clutched to his wound, as he writhed in pain. Buffy wrestled with him to get his hands away, so the doctor could work. He was losing blood fast. Suddenly he became alert again, but the pain was insupportable.

"Shhh…" Buffy closed her eyes not to see the state he was anymore but kept squeezing his hand hard."The blood loss by now is about 3 litres. Not too much for a vampire, but we need his strength for the healing process. Could you please go to that cupboard over there and look for AB blood? Ok, I have AB blood. Right, we're almost there. I can see the bastard."

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"How are you feeling?" asked Buffy and Angel was happy to see they were back home."Is it…out?""Yes. But the doctor said you should suffer from the toxins in you bloodstream for a few days still. So, how does it feel at your end?""It's pretty…uh…doc says it may be a few days before I can return to work?""Work? That is something I wanted to talk about with you. But maybe not now. Don't get your hopes up too high, you have to be completely healthy before I let you out to the corner shop for coffee, never mind patrol. We'll talk about this later on. Now, I gotta go troop. Xander will pop in by to check on you.""Xander?!?""Well, sorry. Giles is researching, Willow is out of town. And I can't send Xander patrolling, so…you'll have to put up with him."

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Angel opened his eyes. He shifted in bed and articulated a quiet complaint as his whole midsection protested.Xander, who was sleeping in a chair next to him, instantly woke up and was at his side, "hello," he said plainly."Hello," he rasped back. His throat and lips were dry."I'll get you a drink," going to the kitchen, he filled a mug with blood and gave it to Angel.

He took it and noticed that his hand was shaking. He watched it for a second, not believing he was this powerless. He focused, his hand stopped shaking, and he drank.

"Much better," he said in a more natural manner, "God, I hate doctors."

Xander smiled, "me too."Angel slowly sat down the mug at the bedside table."You are in pain, Angel. Don't you have something that you can take?" Xander asked."I guess I should take something," he pointed towards a drawer.Xander went and got some water too, than carefully lifted him up to drink.Angel sat back, "Xander?…You…you are actually…nice to me? Or am I hallucinating?""You are hallucinating. It will pass by tomorrow.""Xander? Why?"The human shrugged, "we've been together for eight years now. Could convince the Spanish inquisition.""But it will pass by tomorrow?""Don't you ever think I am your best friend. I just like y…messing with your head.""So, you'll be here tomorrow night as well?" Angel enquired, gazing straight at Xander for the answer.Alexander nodded, "I can hang about."Angel suddenly yawned, "I'm sorry. Those tablets make me drowsy." He was asleep the moment his head hit the pillow.

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"Please forgive me, I should've gone out with you on patrols more often, if not always. I know that…you're in more danger because...because I'm the Slayer, and I...wasn't with you as much.…I put you through all that and you got hurt because of me," she sobbed into his neck."Oh, Buffy," he said as he held her. His arm was very reassuring around her, "it's not your fault that demon came. I know very well what I'm doing when I do it, and I would willingly die for you any time.""No! No, don't say that!" she yelled as she turned her head to him again, "I don't want you to die!""Buffy," he took her face in his hand and brought it closer to his, "the way I live is my choice," he smiled.Buffy pressed her forehead against his, as tears rolled down her cheeks, "please don't ever leave me. I don't know how I could live a happy life without you."He reached up and tenderly wiped the tears from her face, "Buffy, don't worry so much. I want to see your stunning smile again. It's been a while since you smiled for me."She gave a shaky smile, "but we'll go out on patrols together, deal?""Deal.""Oh, Angel," she said as she cuddled him again, "I'm just so happy you're ok."The End. 


End file.
